PVL: Tigresses, Lady Falcons clash

Games today
9 a.m. – NU vs AdU (men’s)
11 a.m. – FEU vs San Beda (men’s)
2 p.m. – UST vs Adamson (women’s)
4 p.m. – FEU vs UP (women’s)
6 p.m. – St. Benilde vs La Salle (men’s)

University of Santo Tomas and Adamson U finally face off today (Saturday) with no less than the top seeding in the semifinals at stake in the much-awaited clash of unbeaten teams in the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Collegiate Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

The Tigresses, behind Eya Laure, Milena Alessandrini and Tin Francisco, swept their five matches in smashing fashion, including four via routs, making them the slight favorites over the Lady Falcons, with four straight victories, in the featured 2 p.m. encounter of the league’s top spiking team against the best blocking squad.

The winner will virtually clinch the top spot heading to the Final Four where the No. 1 takes on the fourth-ranked squad after the single round elims and the Nos. 2 and 3 teams clashing in the other semis duel.

But while the Tigresses look intimidating and poised to move to within a game from sweeping the qualifiers, expect the Lady Falcons to come out strong and foil their fancied rivals’ run while keeping their own sweep bid in the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

Eli Soyud, the current leading scorer in the league with a total of 79 points, is all fired-up to go up against UST’s top hitters in what promises to be a slam-bang duel of teams also priming up for the UAAP wars. Providing backup to Soyud are Bernadette Flora, Lea Ann Perez, Trisha Genesis and Jane Igao.

Third-running Far Eastern U and No. 4 University of the Philippines collide at 4 p.m., capping a clash of the top four teams in the tournament backed by Mikasa and Asics.

The Lady Tams go all-out to improve their 4-1 mark and stay in the hunt for the top spot while the Lady Maroons, toting a 3-2 slate, are likewise out to firm up their hole of the fourth spot and drive a wedge between them and the other semis bidders.

They include San Beda (1-3) while St. Benilde and Perpetual Help, both with 1-4 cards, still remain in the race provided they sweep their last two matches and hope UP to drop its last two games.

But focus will surely be on the UST-Adamson match with Laure and Alessandrini bracing for a strong challenge from Soyud and company.

While leading the scoring parade, Soyud is also tops in blocks with the Lady Falcons also emerging as the top blocking team at this stage of the tournament.